A DIABETIC man who ‘celebrated’ New Year by attacking strangers in the street and then tried to blame his medical condition has dodged a prison sentence.

First offender Ryan Tweedie, 33, spent Hogmanay bringing in the bells with family and friends at his home in Linwood.

But he ventured out in the early hours of January 1 this year and set upon Iain Butler and Andrew Harkins as they walked home just after 3am.

He attacked both men, punching them in the face and leaving them covered in blood.

Tweedie pleaded guilty to four of the five charges he faced when he appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court in September.

He admitted assaulting both Mr Butler and Mr Harkins, as well as attacking a police officer who was arresting him and behaving in a threatening or abusive way by shouting, swearing and bawling offensive remarks.

A charge that he resisted arrest by struggling violently with officers was dropped.

Procurator fiscal depute Laura Wilcox told the court the assaults took place in Clippens Road, Linwood, where Tweedie lived at the time.

Defence solicitor Rhona Lynch said Tweedie had hoped to blame his behaviour on hypoglycemia – a condition caused by a very low level of blood sugar, which is known as glucose and is the body’s main energy source.

She also told how he tried to claim he was suffering from diabetic ketoacidosis at the time – a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when the body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones when it can’t produce enough insulin.

However, an expert ruled out both hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis being explanations for Tweedie’s behaviour.

When Tweedie, now of Limecraigs Crescent, Paisley, returned to the dock to learn his fate, he was placed on a Community Payback Order which will see him carrying out 200 hours of unpaid work over the next 12 months.

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